In only his second ride on Suzuki’s 100 plus bhp water-cooled 750cc, Britain’s Paul Smart streaked to a great win in the AMA national at Dallas International Raceway, Texas, on Sunday. The 75 mile race provided a dramatic difference in results from Daytona when the 350cc works Yamaha shamed the big 750s.

Gary Nixon took his 750cc Kawasaki-3 into 2nd place, beating the Yamaha of 21-year-old Kenny Roberts, who finished 3rd.

As at Daytona, Kawasaki danger man Art Baumann and Yvon Du-Hamel failed to finish. Bauman fell and Du-Hamel retired with machine trouble when leading Smart by 3 seconds.

New Zealander Geoff Perry, who has been recruited to Suzuki’s American team this season, finished 4th, ahead of the works TZ350 Yamahas of Gary Fisher and Don Castro.

Gary Scott, in 10th place, was the best placed rider on a British machine, a works 750cc Triumph.